Sub-Saharan Africa: U.S. & Chinese Economic Engagement

Since 2001, China has rapidly increased its economic engagement with sub-Saharan African countries. The United States has increased aid to sub-Saharan Africa and in 2010 provided more than a quarter of all U.S. international economic assistance to the region. According to some observers, China’s foreign assistance and investments in Africa have been driven in part by the desire for natural resources and stronger diplomatic relations. Some U.S. officials and other stakeholders also have questioned whether China’s activities affect U.S. interests in the region. This book examines the goals and policies in sub-Saharan Africa; trade, grants, loans, and investment activities in the region; and engagement in three case-study countries-Angola, Ghana, and Kenya.